Month: October 2017

I rotate my must-have makeup items based on the season. With the fall season in full-swing, I focus on two main elements of my makeup collection: Hydration + Coverage. I change my foundation to adjust to changes in my skin (e.g. Dryness, dullness) and gravitate toward products that hydrate. Here are three of the items I’ll reach for all season:

Kat Von D Lock-It Foundation

I adore the coverage of Kat Von D’s Lock-It Foundation. I wear it throughout the fall and winter when my skin is duller, drier, and not supple. This foundation provides a matte, full coverage finish that transforms my skin into a blank slate. It hides any imperfections and lasts all day. I wear the shade Light 44 Cool – a fair alabaster with cool undertones.

2. Clinique Moisture Surge Hydrating Supercharged Concentrate

This product is a lightweight water gel that hydrates the skin. (Essentially, a water-based moisturizer!) I like to wear a hydrating moisturizer and apply this after my skin care routine. My skin contains less moisture in the fall and this product is ideal for replenishing it. I favour this moisturizer because it does not leave residue on my skin and absorbs instantly.

3. Dark lipstick

Any lipsticks with a dark, vampy colour reminds me of fall. I wrote a post a few weeks ago that featured my favourite fall-inspired lipstick colours. Each colour featured in that post are colours I wear a lot during the season.

When Anastasia Beverly Hills announced the launch of a new eyeshadow palette, the colour selection drew me in. The palette is filled with a mix of unique colours – mustard yellow, teal, and dark purple. I read a lot of mixed reviews before buying the palette myself, and despite the negative ones, I’m so glad I did!

The Packaging

Subculture contains the same type of cardboard packaging as its predecessor, the Modern Renaissance palette. The outer cover of the palette features teal velvet with the word ‘Subculture’ and Anastasia Beverly Hills logo in yellow lettering. The colour combination of teal and yellow is eye-catching and elegant. Inside the palette are 12 wells filled with eyeshadow, and a generously-sized mirror. This palette comes with a dual-ended brush, one side for blending and the other for packing shadow onto the lid. I personally do not prefer the brush’s rough texture.

The Shadows

This palette contains 14 shadows, with a mix of matte and shimmer colours. Each colour in the palette is unique.

Shadows:

Roxy – Matte muted coral

Electric – Duo chrome lime with gold reflect

Fudge – Matte chocolate-brown

New Wave – Matte citron orange

Untamed – Matte deep green

Edge – Matte gold-mustard

Rowdy – Matte deep purple

Axis – Matte teal

Mercury – Matte grey with a hint of lavender

All Star – Matte wine

Adorn – Bronze with chunky gold flecks

Destiny – Matte sage green

Dawn – Matte sand

Cube – Duo-chrome pink pearl

How do the shadows perform?

Each shadow in this palette is very pigmented. Most of the matte shades are slightly powdery, but once I apply to the lid, the colour payoff is strong. I quickly noticed that the easiest way to work with this palette is to softly tap your brush into the shadow to pick up pigment. You only need to a small amount to achieve a rich, intense colour. Some of the shadows blend easier than others but overall they are not difficult to work with. I do not experience any fading or creasing when I apply shadows from Subculture and set with a setting spray.

Here are three looks I created with using the Subculture Palette:

Shadows used: Cube on the lid, Rowdy in the mid-outer corner. I deepened the outer corner using Mercury.

Shadows used: I applied Destiny to the entire lid, and deepened my crease with Untamed.

Shadows used: I applied Cube and Roxy as base eyeshadows. I then applied Dawn and New Wave to add depth.

Overall, I am impressed with the Anastasia Beverly Hills Subculture Palette. While it does require a little more creativity and patience to use, the eyeshadows are beautiful and provide a rich colour payoff. I’ve easily integrated it into my daily makeup routine and use it to create unique day or night eyeshadow looks!

I blog about self-care and relaxation often. I’ve begun to view self-care through a lens that it involves activities beyond the bubble-bath, but I do enjoy spending time creating my own spa-like environment at home. My routine does not include a bubble bath, but I do focus on skincare. Today I share my own spa-night routine.

Unplug

The first step in my routine involves silencing my phone and other electronics. I like to ensure my environment is quiet, peaceful, and free from distractions. (Unless my cat decides to perch on the edge of the tub, of course!)

While I wait for my mask to set, I indulge in a glass of wine. I select a wine that is light, crisp, and refreshing. This portion of my spa night routine relaxes me after a long week. I enjoy curling up in fluffy blankets to settle in for a night of movies or reading.

I love my Beauty Blender. This palm-sized, pointed sponge is the perfect tool to apply makeup. I use it daily to apply liquid foundation, concealer, and blush.

The Packaging

The sponge comes in a circular, lightweight plastic case. This is an ideal package to transport my Beauty Blender sponge. I also store it in the package to keep it clean.

The Sponge

This sponge is egg shaped, with a rounded base and pointed tip. It has a soft, pliable texture. The Beauty Blender I own is black and fits in my palm, but it comes in a range of colours and sizes.

How to use it?

My favorite aspect of a Beauty Blender is its versatility. The wider side of the sponge is ideal to use on larger areas of the face like the forehead, while the pointed end is percise for under the eyes, and nose. The tool can be used wet or dry. Simply run it under water, if using wet, squeeze the excess water, and apply makeup to the sponge. Dab the sponge onto the face to apply your product of choice in a patting motion.

This is a versatile, easy to use tool to add into your makeup kit. The tool needs cleaning often, but a simple combination of soap/water will keep your sponge in top shape!

Sephora sells the Beauty Blender in various sizes and colours. I own the Beauty Blender Pro, which retails for $28 on Sephora’s official website.

There’s no single way to blog, but there are common mistakes that new bloggers can make. I started my blog over a year ago and learned a lot of these mistakes myself. With a few tweaks and tips, I overcame these mistakes to improve my blogging. These are 3 common mistakes:

NO PROMOTION

Publishing a new blog post on your personal Facebook page is one way to increase page views, but your content is likely to only be seen by your Facebook friends list. Posting to Facebook is not enough. Share your content on other social media websites, or groups dedicated to blog promotion to increase your reach and page views. A helpful hint is to tell your audience about the blog post, instead of simply leaving the link on the page.

NO OR LOW QUALITY PHOTOS

Blogs are largely about visuals. I like to include one main photo that captures the essence of my blog post. If I am writing a product review, I will often also include swatches of the product to demonstrate the colour/texture. Multiple editing tools exist to enhance and refine your photos to make them more appealing. Practice makes perfect, and keep practicing your photography until you’re happy.

NO PLANNING/CONSISTENCY

I publish new blog posts 3 times a week. I publish on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday while devoting each day to a specific topic. I plan my posts extensively before I begin to write them, and this actually speeds up the writing process. Consistency is key to maintain an active following. Try using a calendar to schedule content and keep your blogging on track.

What are common mistakes you made as a new blogger? Do you have any tips to share to avoid common mistakes?

I received this face cleanser as a sample from Sephora. I like to test new cleansers for a while before reviewing them to gauge how my skin reacts to the product. This product is a gentle, foaming cleanser that is suitable for all skin types.

The Packaging

True to the product’s name, the packaging is simple and feels fresh. The lightweight, white tube makes the product portable. The white background makes the red lettering pop. The tube contains 150 mL/5 o.z. of product.

The Cleanser

The gel formula is smooth and soft. It is transparent until you work it into a foamy lather on your face. The gel has a pleasantly cooling sensation when first applied which dissipates once lathered. It is suitable to use on a bare face or to remove makeup. I’ve used it as both a cleanser and makeup remover, and it is gentle enough for both uses.

Pros:

This cleanser has a pleasant, cucumber scent

A little product goes a long way. I apply a small, pea-sized amount to my skin.

Cons:

The product, for me, was not effective in clearing my blemishes

The cleanser is a gel product that does not foam. This is more of a personal preference, but I feel that foaming products give my skin a deeper-clean

The Verdict

While the cleanser is gentle and doesn’t strip moisture from the skin, I have an acne-prone complexion. I did not find the product to be great in terms of cleansing but it did leave my skin soft and moisturized. If you are looking for a gentle, daily cleanser I would recommend trying this one. If you’re searching for a cleanser more suitable for blemish-prone skin with a deeper cleaning power, I’d skip it.

Fresh Beauty’s Soy Face Cleanser is available in a mini or full-sized tube. The mini tube retails for $20 while the full-sized product retails for $47. You can find this cleanser on Sephora’s official website.

Have you tried any products from FRESH Beauty before? On a side note, I created a YouTube channel this week and just uploaded my most recent Sephora haul. You can find it here! Feel free to Subscribe if you’re also on YouTube!

Applying eyeshadow is one of my favourite steps in my makeup routine. I have a few eyeshadow palettes that I mix-and-match on a daily basis. Working with a new palette or application technique can be daunting. Here are four tips I always come back to when applying eyeshadow!

1. Create a smoky eye using just two eyeshadows

A smoky eye can involve a more complex routine, but if you’re short on time, it doesn’t have to. Start by creating a base with a neutral eyeshadow colour or liquid concealer to even out the eyelid’s colour. Apply a darker eyeshadow to the crease, then use a rounded brush to blend the colour inward until you reach the middle of your lid.

2. Clean up excess fallout

Eyeshadow often flakes from the lid onto the lower lash line. You can clean any excess using a makeup remover wipe, or tissue. Another quick trick is to bake your shadow. This involves applying setting powder underneath your eyes, extending to the cheekbones. This quick trick will catch any excess shadow that falls. When your eye makeup is complete, simply brush away the excess powder.

3. Highlight and darken eyeshadow in the right places

Lighten your eyes by accentuating the brow bone and inner corner of your eyes. I often use a white or other bright shade for this. Highlighting the eyes in the right place masks imperfections and can brighten your entire look.

4. Keep dark eyeshadows to the outer corner

If you apply eyeshadow too close to the lash line, it can make your eyes appear smaller. Keep base eyeshadow colours light, and work darker shades up into your crease and outer corner to create the appearance of a full, big eye.

I’m halfway through my second-last academic semester of university. As a social work student, I know that it is essential to avoid burnout by devoting time to myself. This task sometimes seems impossible with looming deadlines, a long reading list, and more. Self-care comes in many forms, and this list is just a few of the ways I implement a routine to take care of myself.

What exactly is burnout?

Burnout is essentially mental or physical collapse from becoming overworked. Burnout manifests itself in different ways. I’ve experienced physical sickness, mental exhaustion, and anxiety. By the end of a semester, for example, it manifests in me as a cold or tension headaches.

3 Ways to Avoid Burnout

1. Clear out

De-cluttering not only clears out your physical workspace, but it also clears out the mind. If you have a lot of items in your visual field, the brain works harder to ignore it all and focus on the task at hand. This can be tiring, and cause stress. I like to tidy up my desk daily or weekly, and arrange it so that only my calendar, laptop, planner, and a few notebooks are in my field of vision.

2. Practice positive affirmations/self-talk

Self-talk happens to everyone. We can use these conversations we often have in our headspace to our advantage every day. It can help us feel better, reduces anxiety, and improves confidence. One simple way to implement positive affirmations is by using words like “I can” and “I will”.

3. Sleep

Sleep is so important but often undervalued. There are times when I skimp on sleep, though I fully recognize that I shouldn’t. Sleep helps us restore memories, recharge, and improves brain function. Maintaining a solid sleep routine is beneficial to all aspects of your health/wellness. Most health experts recommend 7-9 hours of sleep per night for adults.

I bought this product while in Toronto and immediately added into my daily makeup routine. M.A.C.’s Fix+ is a combination setting spray and primer. I use mostly for setting my makeup but it also gives bare skin a refreshing boost.

The Packaging

The outer package is a glittery black box. The spray comes in a lightweight bottle. It is clear and capped with a matte black top. The top of the product is slightly indented with a button you press to dispense the product, which can be adjusted to lock or unlock. It displays the M.A.C. logo.

What is it?

This product is a lightweight mist of water that contains vitamins/minerals to sooth and refresh the skin. It gives a boost of hydration while delivering a soft sheen to refresh and finish makeup.

How to use it

I hold it a few inches away from my face then spray it on. It can be used alone or to finish makeup. The spray has multiple benefits:

Hydrating

Soothes and refreshes skin

Finishes makeup

It provides my skin with refreshing hydration, but once it dries into my skin it sets my makeup for the entire day. I spray it over my eye/face makeup and it doesn’t budge for hours! I have not experienced any melting makeup after I’ve used the spray. I love how it acts as a double-duty makeup product.

If you’re looking for a new setting spray, or simply a refreshing mist for your skin, I’d definitely recommend MAC Fix+. It retails for $25 from M.A.C. Cosmetics official website

Developing good study habits is essential for college/university students. These habits will help you maintain a study routine, and once it becomes routine, the act of effective studying often sticks with you!

1. Make flashcards

Using a system of flashcards is a useful way to stimulate your brain. It is also an effective method to organize study materials. One way to make flashcards is to dedicate a specific card colour for each subject.

2. Refer to your class syllabus

Every syllabus I have is dog-eared by the end of the term. A syllabus is essentially your guide to the semester. It outlines due dates, exam dates, course readings, and the percentage that each evaluation is worth. Once I recieve my course syllabus, I record all due dates in my calendar and planner.

3. Snack smart

Eating healthy snacks while studyint will leave you feeling nourished. Completing tasks is often easier on a full stomach. My favourite study-snack combinations include: